Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Playa del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Medina and Playa del Carmen

🙂 Solo nomad: Medina is 10.8% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 14.5% more expensive with rent.
🙂 Family of 3: Medina is 4.5% cheaper than Playa del Carmen without rent, and 26.1% cheaper with rent.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Medina
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.70 SAR 21.39
$11.85 MX$205
-51.90%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.16 SAR 121
$42.16 MX$730
-23.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.77 SAR 29.15
$10.75 MX$186
-27.72%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.62 SAR 6.08
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 SAR 6.37
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.44 SAR 9.14
$3.47 MX$60.2
-29.68%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 SAR 2.83
$1.45 MX$25.17
-48.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 SAR 1.45
$0.90 MX$15.64
-56.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$3.05 MX$52.9
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.42 MX$76.5
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Medina
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.67 SAR 6.27
$1.37 MX$23.72
21.90%
White Bread (500g)
$0.96 SAR 3.61
$1.87 MX$32.43
-48.66%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.32 SAR 8.69
$1.54 MX$26.74
50.65%
Eggs
$2.07 SAR 7.76
$2.50 MX$43.36
-17.20%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$6.56 SAR 24.60
$8.61 MX$149
-23.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.31 SAR 27.40
$8.63 MX$150
-15.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.75 SAR 47.80
$11.02 MX$191
15.70%
Apples (1kg)
$2.34 SAR 8.76
$2.75 MX$47.62
-14.91%
Banana (1kg)
$2.08 SAR 7.78
$1.43 MX$24.73
45.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.19 SAR 8.20
$1.87 MX$32.44
17.11%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.62 SAR 6.08
$2.17 MX$37.54
-25.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.36 SAR 5.12
$1.88 MX$32.61
-27.66%
Onion (1kg)
$1.46 SAR 5.47
$2.25 MX$38.91
-35.11%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 SAR 3.70
$1.07 MX$18.49
-7.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.87 SAR 3.28
$1.07 MX$18.59
-18.69%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$1.31 SAR 4.92
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.65 SAR 6.19
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.61 SAR 6.05
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$7.54 SAR 28.27
$4.15 MX$72.0
81.69%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$10.34 MX$179
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.68 MX$29.08
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.48 MX$43.02
-
🚌 Getting Around
Medina
Playa del Carmen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.06 SAR 3.97
$0.55 MX$9.61
92.73%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$36.84 SAR 138
$26.53 MX$459
38.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.31 SAR 4.93
$3.22 MX$55.7
-59.32%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.68 SAR 6.31
$2.48 MX$42.98
-32.26%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.46 SAR 20.49
$3.11 MX$53.9
75.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.60 SAR 2.26
$1.26 MX$21.75
-52.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.0K SAR 78.6K
$30.7K MX$531.0K
-31.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$21.4K SAR 80.1K
$24.0K MX$416.4K
-11.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Medina
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$206 SAR 772
$82.5 MX$1,429
149.61%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$32.43 SAR 122
$22.29 MX$386
45.49%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$104 SAR 390
$30.02 MX$520
246.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Medina
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$74.6 SAR 280
$51.4 MX$891
45.00%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.98 SAR 33.66
$18.29 MX$317
-50.90%
Cinema Ticket
$13.35 SAR 50.1
$4.98 MX$86.3
168.07%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Medina
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$290 SAR 1,086
$200 MX$3,464
44.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$7,324 SAR 27.5K
$5,304 MX$91.9K
38.08%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Medina
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$37.00 SAR 139
$35.71 MX$618
3.61%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$52.7 SAR 197
$39.56 MX$685
33.09%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$67.8 SAR 254
$80.6 MX$1,395
-15.83%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$99.3 SAR 372
$88.3 MX$1,530
12.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Medina
Playa del Carmen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$430 SAR 1,614
$969 MX$16.8K
-55.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$564 SAR 2,115
$482 MX$8,352
16.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$707 SAR 2,650
$1,595 MX$27.6K
-55.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$406 SAR 1,521
$1,184 MX$20.5K
-65.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,295 SAR 8,605
$4,050 MX$70.1K
-43.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,330 SAR 4,988
$6,522 MX$113.0K
-79.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Medina
Playa del Carmen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,319 SAR 4,946
$756 MX$13.1K
74.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3
11.42
-73.73%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medina: March 1, 2026

Last update for Playa del Carmen: March 3, 2026

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated December 2025)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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